Voyager lost Captain Janeway after only two days
By now, every Star Trek: Voyager fan knows that Kate Mulgrew was not the first actress to wear the captain’s uniform. Canadian actress Geneviève Bujold has that distinction, but after she decided the job just wasn’t for her, the producers had to rush to find someone to take her place as production was already underway.
According to What Culture, supposedly when Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Nana Visitor heard that the role of Captain Janeway was open, she approached series producer Rick Berman to pitch herself for the part. She assured Berman that she could continue playing her role as Major Kira and still give her all to the Voyager’s new captain. But Berman didn’t agree with her and gave her a very definite no.
Imagine Nana Visitor as Captain Janeway
Visitor had already proven she had no difficulties playing a tough woman who wouldn’t back down from a fight. Her character stood up to Cardassians, especially Gul Dukat, and fought her way out of many circumstances that some would consider hopeless. And Major Kira was second in command aboard Deep Space Nine so she was used to giving orders. Does that mean Visitor would have worked as Captain Janeway?
Without comparing her to Kate Mulgrew, Visitor has her own unique style that probably would have made her an excellent captain of a starship stranded in the Delta Quadrant. She wouldn’t have had any issues standing her ground with either the crew or aliens, but would she have been as nice as Janeway was to the things that irritated her? How would she have handled Neelix and his over-exuberance for life? Would she have had a rough start with Torres, or would she have understood Torres even better than Janeway because she knew what it was like to fight for her freedom?
These are questions that will never be answered, but Nana Visitor is an actress who could play a captain on Star Trek easily. She has the bearing and intelligence that would make her a formidable one. And with so many Star Trek series in the works or already airing, there are limitless opportunities if a producer would take notice!